Dimmable light woks fine in shop, but not at home??

[Grant Elliot]

Hi,
I purchased a dimmable touch table lamp in B&Q a few weeks ago.

I ensured I purchased the correct dimmable G9 bulbs, but on getting it home, discovered that the touch function only turns the lamp on. It doesn't cycle through the various dim levels on each touch, and the only way to turn the light off is to turn it off at the plug.

I assumed the lamp was faulty, but when I took it back to B&q today, they plugged it in to check it and it worked exactly as it should.

I got the lamp back home, have tried various different sockets around the house, but I have the same problem with it not going through the dimming levels and not turning off unless turned off at the plug.

Does anyone know why this lamp would work fine in B&Q, but not as it should do when the same lamp is plugged in at home?

Thanks,
Grant

 

[HappyHippyDad]

That's an interesting one Grant.

Before any diagnosis is carried out I would suggest a few more tests.

1. I would try it at a neighbours house, in different sockets.

2. If that doesn't work I would change it at B&Q for another one. It may be an intermittent fault and just happened to work when you took it back to B&Q, unlikely but possible. B&Q will replace within a short time frame even if nothing is wrong with it.

3. Try another bulb. Try a standard halogen if you have an LED in it. I realise this is ignoring the fact it worked in B&Q but it's worth trying different things. B&Q should sell standard halogen G9's if not then try Screwfix in Arbroath.

4. Did you try it in the store or was it the store keeper?

 

[snowhead]

You've not had a Smart Meter installed or any work done around the meter recently have you?

 

[Toneyz]

You've not had a Smart Meter installed or any work done around the meter recently have you?

Why are you thinking of reversed polarity?

 

[Harry_P]

Hi,
I purchased a dimmable touch table lamp in B&Q a few weeks ago.

I ensured I purchased the correct dimmable G9 bulbs, but on getting it home, discovered that the touch function only turns the lamp on. It doesn't cycle through the various dim levels on each touch, and the only way to turn the light off is to turn it off at the plug.

I assumed the lamp was faulty, but when I took it back to B&q today, they plugged it in to check it and it worked exactly as it should.

I got the lamp back home, have tried various different sockets around the house, but I have the same problem with it not going through the dimming levels and not turning off unless turned off at the plug.

Does anyone know why this lamp would work fine in B&Q, but not as it should do when the same lamp is plugged in at home?

Thanks,
Grant

Someone is going to suggest your house isn't earthen so you need a rewire urgently
I'm guessing you are standing on carpet when you try the lamp at home? Try standing on bare floor

 

[Grant Elliot]

Hi.
We are currently using halogen bulbs anyway. Already tried replacing them (we bought a 4 pack) but that hasn't worked.

Also we had a smart meter installed earlier in the year by our electric company.

Just tried holding my partners hand whilst I held the radiator and she touched the lamp.... It worked as it should so I guess that means the house isn't earthed? How bad a problem is this (sorry I'm no electrician).
Also we have other touch lamps in other rooms which work fine so is it only certain rooms of the house that are not earthed, or do older touch lamps not require earthing? We tried the new lamp on the same sockets as the lamps that are working correctly but still had the same problem.

 

[MFS Electrical]

To me it would suggest that your body isn’t enough of a reference to earth to activate The touch lamp either through a high resistance of yourself or the floor that your standing on. This isn’t a bad thing! I would encourage B&Q to replace the lamp and try again with another just to see if another may be slightly more sensitive. Video the lamp not working to show them in case they get daft about it.

 

[snowhead]

Why are you thinking of reversed polarity?

Yup.
It would be worth eliminating, but as they have other touch lamps it may not be that. Although it could be a peculiarity of the way the lamp works.
I'll suggest turning off the WiFi now and trying.
It's something local to the house if it works for them in B&Q.

 

[Grant Elliot]

Hello all thanks for your help.
I took the lamp back to B&Q and got them to exchange it for a new one, but when I got it home I still had the same problem.

It was then that I noticed a label attached to the plug saying "max 28V" for the bulb....and being a typical bloke, I had gone for the brightest ones in the shop as they were the same price, but were 45W bulbs!

Long story short, I have now fitted 18w bulbs instead, and the lamp is working as it should do - just thought I would put this on here in case any of you come across this again in future.

Thanks

 

[westward10]

Glad you solved the problem.